Current Affairs Quiz-September, 2020

Notes:
Germany has recently carried out the first nationwide test of its civil alarm systems since the end of the Cold War.
The country has also newly created National Warning Day, or Warntag, which is to be observed every year on September 10. Several alarms were sounded to alert the public to create the awareness about the measures to be taken in the backdrop of a national emergency.

Notes:
Yoshihide Suga has been elected as the new head of Japan’s ruling party. It is almost certain that he would be the next Prime Minister of Japan.
Last month, the incumbent Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced his resignation for reasons of ill health. Yoshihide Suga is said to be a close ally of Mr Abe and likely to continue his predecessor’s policies.

Notes:
The new Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, introduced by the government empowers RBI to restructure Cooperative banks.
The bill was tabled on the first day of the Parliament’s Monsoon Session by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The bill which came in the form of ordinance was earlier withdrawn. Under this amendment, the Reserve Bank of India can restructure distressed cooperative banks.

Notes:
The Rajya Sabha has recently passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020, which was tabled by Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri
The bill has already been cleared by the Lok Sabha in March this year. It seeks to convert aviation agencies like the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil aviation security (BCAS) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into statutory bodies. It also proposes heavy punishment for violations.

Notes:
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled that tariff barriers (additional tariffs) imposed by USA in 2018 on Chinese goods is inconsistent with international trading norms.
This has come as a severe blow to the US administration. The ruling was pronounced by a 3-member panel of WTO, against the USD 200 billion in levies imposed by USA on a range of Chinese goods in 2018.

Notes:
Britain’s Andy Murray who is former world number has been given a wildcard entry into the main draw of French Open.
This year’s French Open first round begins on 27th September. Murray is a three-time Grand Slam winner and a French Open finalist. He has not appeared at the event since 2017, when he lost to Stan Wawrinka.

Notes:
A draft of Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020 has been prepared by the Ministry of Power for the first time.
As per the regulations, the time period to provide new electricity connection and modify existing connection in metro cities is not more than 7 days and in rural areas is not more than 30 days.

Notes:
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has revised India’s growth projections to minus 10.2% for the current financial year.
This is due to extended lockdown in the country. The OECD released a report titled “Interim Economic Assessment Corona virus: Living with uncertainty”. As per the report, prolonged spread of the virus, high levels of poverty, and stricter confinement measures are the reasons for contraction of the Indian Economy.

Notes:
The Global Initiative on Reducing Land Degradation was launched in the G 20 – Environment Ministerial Meeting (EMM) that was held in a virtual mode under the leadership of Saudi Arabia.
It aims to strengthen the implementation of existing guidelines on prevention of land degradation among the G20 member countries. In addition to the initiative on land degradation, the Global Coral Reef R&D Accelerator Platform was also launched which aims at R&D in all aspects of Coral Reef.

Notes:
Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Amitabha Ghosh has recently passed away at the age of 90.
He had the shortest stint as the RBI Governor for 21 days, from January 15, 1985 to February 4, 1985. He was earlier serving as a Deputy Governor of RBI. He handed over the designation to the 17th RBI Governor R N Malhotra.